Should I Use a Search Engine Submission Service?

Stop me when this sounds familiar:

"We will submit your website to hundreds of search engines for only $199..."

If you've been around websites long enough, you've probably seen an "offer" like this. Here's the truth of the matter -- search engine submission services are a waste of money better spent elsewhere. There are actually two things wrong with this picture.

First of all...
Once you get beyond the top three or four search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN / Live, and Ask) , do the other 96 really matter?

Secondly...
Anyone with Internet connection can submit a website to a search engine. It doesn't take any special talent, so why pay for it? On top of that, you really don't even need to submit your site to the search engines. If a website is properly built and has some inbound links, the search engines will find it and index it within a matter of days.

What's more...
The search engines report that the majority of submissions they get (up to 95%) come from automated scripting programs designed by unethical search engine marketers. These tools bombard the search engines with multiple, repeat submissions in the vain hope of improving a website's ranking. In other words, these spammers have systematically ruined useful procedures for the rest of us.

Because of this, many search engine experts agree that it's better for web pages to be found by search engine spiders during their normal crawling process. Build a well-structured website with plenty of content around a topic, get yourself some inbound links, and the search engines will find you on their own. I guarantee it.

What to take away from this...
Beware of search engine submission services. They're a waste of time and money, and they often do more harm than good. If you want your website to be found and indexed by the various search engines, just acquire some inbound links to your site. It will be included within a matter of days. Good luck!

Related question: How do search engines work?